by Serena Light
"What's the damage?" Salvatore spoke with his gaze straight ahead, his jaw clenched and swallowed the lump in his throat, noticing how neither his parents nor his brothers' were in any state to speak, leaving him to take the command.
"The collision of the truck with her car gave her a cervical fracture: a broken neck. Along with a serious blow to the head, broken arm, fractured rib and leg and severe internal bleeding which we have managed to stop for now," The doctor informed gently, Alessio hissing and clutching his head in his hands, Rosalie burying her face in her husband's neck as he couldn't bring himself to look at their daughter in this state, turning his back and holding his wife. Arsenio clutching his fingers before his mouth with tears streaming down his cheeks and his gaze cast up at the ceiling, Nicole hiding her face in her own husband's chest. "She will be under surveillance for the next 48 hours...and there is one more thing I should inform you,"
"The trauma to the head...it's caused her to go in a coma..."
Chapter XXVII: Shoot the Messenger
Salvatore stood looking into the room where Alessio sat hunched at his sister's bedside with her limp hand clasped in hers. It had almost been a week and he never left her side. The mafia Boss had taken the twins under his wing, having them close by, and most of the time looking after them wasn't much of a hassle, but then there were days where they wouldn't stop crying, wanting their parents.
The Regnante's had decided that they all would take turns watching after Serafina, and given that she was in the ICU, no more than one person was allowed inside. That one person was always Alessio who hadn't moved from his place since she had been admitted.
Everyone had tried convincing him to go home and rest, but he refused.
Currently, Salvatore waited for his father to come and take up the shift, standing in grey dress-pants with a white button-up under a black waistcoat and black tie, his blazer draped over his arm. His obsidian tresses gelled back and his cerulean eye looked emotionlessly at the scene before him.
"How's she doing?" A voice spoke behind him as Salvatore inhaled.
"Nothing's changed," He continued to look at his sister's unconscious figure, mentally willing her to wake up.
"And Alessio?"
"Hasn't moved,"
"He'll starve himself like this," Arcangelo grumbled before coming to stand beside his son in denim jeans and a navy blue hoodie over his black t-shirt.
"I think that's what he's planning," Salvatore shrugged. "Killing himself in case she doesn't make it,"
"He can't do that,"
"Tell that to the heartbroken puppy over there,"
Arcangelo eyed his son, swallowing thickly at how much he had become more and more like the Mafia Boss and less like his Salvatore, seeing how he was slowly losing his grasp on his humanity. He was afraid, he was terrified for his twin sister, but he wasn't going to tell that to anyone, least of all his own father and add to his pile of worries.
"Off to Armamentarium?" His father inquired with crossed arms, sighing when his son nodded. "You should go home; you look like you haven't slept in days"
"Have you?"
Arcangelo fell quiet, inhaling deeply because the truth was, no one had slept. They all couldn't bring themselves to close their eyes because they were afraid of what might happen if they did. The tension too high and the pain too fresh to allow them the liberty of resting.
"I have a plan," The younger Regnante pulled on his blazer, his father raising his eyebrows at the words.
"Which includes what exactly?"
"Revenge and blood," He slid open the door, allowing the sound of the beeping machinery to momentarily bleed out into the hall before seizing when the glass panel slid back into place.
The strong smell of disinfectant hit Salvatore like a tidal wave bringing back unpleasant memories of his time in rooms much like this one and tickled his senses as the beeping reverberated through the room. The sound accompanied by the clacking of his dress shoes as he made his way over to the other side of Serafina's unconscious body. Looking down at her blemished and bruised face, he found himself looking for his twin's smile and those teasing blue eyes, but all he saw was a swollen and purple face, the figure on the bed much too pale and thin to be his sister. He couldn't even see her hair because of her entire head covered by the gauze, a tube going down her throat as he swallowed thickly at the reality of it all.
Leaning down he placed a kiss on her forehead, one hand finding her empty palm and giving it a squeeze, Salvatore holding back a gasp at how cold she felt.
"I am going to Denmark," The Mafia boss, looked down at his sister, hoping she could hear him. "I have found an opening,"
"You should kill him," Alessio's voice croaked, the man not having lifted his head from the bed as he stared up at his wife. "Kill him,"
"I can't," Salvatore pulled away. "He's too heavily protected and he would anticipate such an attack. So I have to cast a blow he won't be quick to recover from,"
"Yeah, a bullet shot," His brother-in-law sniffled, resulting in a sigh from the man standing on the other side.
"You know I can't do that,"
"Why not?" Alessio growled, his head snapping up as he looked at Salvatore with loathing. "You had no problem shooting Paolo, why not Jayson?"
"These are two different cases, and you know that,"
"All I know is that you're coward,"
"There is a fine line between cowardice and precaution,"
His brother in law glared at him, not the least bit satisfied with what he had planned, but Salvatore was not here to satisfy his demands, he was here to avenge what had been done to his sister. Straightening, the Mafia Boss walked out of the hospital room, giving his father a quick nod before leaving him to stand alone.
He dealt with the business matters at Armamentarium: dealing with business partners, negotiating contracts, overseeing projects, and board meetings. Salvatore didn't want to be there. Work was the last place he wanted to be, he would have much rather been back at the estate, or at his parent's house, anywhere but work. However given that people would assume him to be weakened by his personal occurrence, he knew that they would try to play coy, and that was exactly what he was showing they couldn't do.
But on the other hand, being there made the Mafia Boss acutely aware of what people said behind his back:
"Look at him, working while his sister is injured,"
"Cold,"
"Heartless,"
"Inhumane,"
"Monster,"
He was no stranger to such whispers and had learned at the very beginning to ignore them as long as they were targeting him, but the moment it was anyone of his loved ones, no one was safe.
Currently, he was pulling on his blazer once more, done for the day as men took away the files and one took his things to the car with Salvatore close behind. Once on the ground floor, he settled in the back of the Bentley, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes, promptly falling asleep.
The car jerking to a stop woke him, inhaling sharply; he sat up straight, looking around him for a moment before running his hands through his hair and stepping out of the car. Making his way inside, he walked straight up the stairs, opening his bedroom door to find his nephew and niece using Nicole's husky like a stepping stone while his wife stood with her back to him, a suitcase lying open on the bed before her as she was packing clothes into it.
Sighing, he went and settled down on the bed beside the case, noticing the silence of his wife as she focused on folding the clothes.
"I can do it," He told her when he found her fumbling with the same shirt for the past 5 minutes and reached out to touch her hand, watching her flinch away from his touch before nodding and stepping away.
Sighing, he stood from his place and finished the job his wife had started, glancing up to see her occupied with the toddlers.
"How were the twins?" He asked as he packed in the clothes.
"They were good, didn't fuss too much, rather busy playing and trying to
walk. Love Percy, but Hades doesn't even come close to them, so not much out of the usual," She cleaned around the room, both of them looking at the little toddlers who were poking and pulling at the dog lying beneath them, giggling when she'd shake her head and yap at them. Nicole chuckled at the sight of the two, her eyes drifting towards the open suitcase and everything that littered their bed. "So...Denmark?"
"Yeah,"
"Do you really have to go?" Nicole spoke quietly and bit her lip, across the room with uncertainty shining in her eyes.
"As if it matters given your recent behavior," He shrugged, Nicole, looking at him with a grimace. "I have to do this,"
"But...why you? Why not Piero? Or Tazio? Why not the others?"
"Because Serafina isn't their sister, Nicole. She's my twin,"
"Then what about Marco and Arsenio? She is just as much their sister as she is yours,"
"Which one of them is the Mafia Boss?"
"Neither, but-"
"-Exactly," Salvatore silenced her with the word. "I am the Mafia Boss. This threat was made on my Mafia. It is my duty to retaliate,"
Nicole sighed tiredly, pleading him with her eyes as she could see how tired he was. He had hardly slept 3 hours in the last week. He was literally running on caffeine and adrenaline at this point and now he was going to Denmark? She had tried everything to convince him out of it, but nothing worked.
"Salvatore," She swallowed the lump in her throat, enveloping his hand in both of hers. "I need you here, please,"
"No you don't" He dropped the trouser he had been folding, having had this conversation one too many times for his liking. "You've made that very clear with the way you have been behaving. You literally flinch away from me Nicole, you flinch, and you never did that even when he had been newlyweds, and if you can't tolerate me in my time of need then what sort of married life will we have, huh?"
She looked at him in desperation, willing him to understand her, but all she got in response was the cold look her husband's blue eyes held and his face devoid of any emotion. Nicole opened her mouth to say something but turned around when one of the twins let out a cry, Salvatore looking over her shoulder at his nephew and niece.
He watched his wife make her way towards the two little toddlers, picking up the little girl in her arms and shushing her. He rubbed a hand over his forehead before going to the two when Nicole didn't succeed in calming her. Taking Marina in her arms, Salvatore held her to his chest, gently murmuring into her ear as she coddled into his embrace, settling down within minutes. His gaze drifted to the toddler on the floor, yawning and lying down on the dog's stomach, tired.
"I'll put them to sleep," Salvatore told Nicole and walked away.
Placing Marina in her cot, he went back into his room to see Michele fast asleep on the Husky. Picking him up from the floor, he went to the room beside his – their nursery – and settled him down as well.
Nicole stood beside a packed suitcase when he returned, looking down at the black contrasting with their white sheets.
"When will you leave?" She inquired gently.
"Now," He walked to her and picked up the suitcase, settling it on the floor before looking up at his wife.
Before he could even get a word across, Nicole cupped his face into her hands, connecting her lips with his in a deep and long kiss, allowing it to convey all her apprehensions and fears and anxieties as she didn't want to pull away – wanted to hold onto him for a little longer. Taken aback when he pulled away first and took a step back. Sighing, she let her hands fall to her side, looking down at the floor.
"Please..." Nicole spoke in a broken whisper. "Please return safely back to me, please,"
"It's standard procedure, Nicole," He tried in a desperate attempt to appease her worry, watching her shake her head.
"I know how this works, Salvatore, there is nothing "standard" about it all," She choked out, and hugged herself. "Please, just promise me you'll return back to me,"
"I promise,"
Salvatore looked at himself in the mirror, standing in a two-piece navy blue suit with a grey waistcoat and white undershirt, paired with a sky blue paisley tie and matching pocket square.
Glancing down at his phone, he saw that he had quite a few missed calls and messages, not that they mattered since they weren't from Nicole. Sighing, he braced the sink to gather his thoughts and composure since he knew he had to turn off his emotions for this official encounter, but even then, he couldn't stop himself from missing his wife, knowing he had left things on a very concerned note which had to be immediately cleared on his return home – which he hoped would be tonight.
Stepping out of his hotel room, he allowed the guards to drive him to the restaurant, taking the car key from them and telling them to stand guard in the shop opposite.
Entering the interior, he was greeted by the sound of chatter as he walked over to the reception, asking after the person he was meeting as the receptionist inquired who he would be. Introducing himself, the man nodded and walked through a pair of glass and wooden double doors. Stepping between the rows of tables and stopping at one, whispering something to the inhabitant, returning not much later.
Nodding, he led him through doors before walking down an aisle of tables, stopping before one where a single inhabitant occupied the space, sipping from a cup of coffee.
"Good evening, Mr. Alfonsi," The woman greeted, standing up to shake his hand as Salvatore gave her a good look, seeing her standing in a black form-fitted pencil skirt dress, with her dark eyes looking him over and her hair pulled into an elegant bun at the back of her head. "I'm Olivia Leone,"
"Pleasure meeting you," Salvatore gave her a bedazzling smile as he ensured to make his accent more prominent before taking hold of her hand and placing a kiss on the back of it. "Shall we sit?"
"Yes, of course," Olivia breathed out, gesturing to the chair across from her's and settling down at the table.
"I was told I'd be meeting with a man," He informed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his ankle over his knee, looking at her with a charming smile. "Not that I have an issue with a woman, I just wasn't made aware I'd be discussing business with a woman as exquisite as you, signora. If I had been made aware, I would be better prepared,"
"I must apologize for the sudden change in plan," She offered him a gentle smile. "Jayson Leone couldn't make it to Denmark having had business to deal with back at home,"
"Leone?" He echoed with scrunched eyebrows. "Are you two..."
"Oh, no," She interjected, understanding what he meant. "No, he's my brother,"
"Ah, lucky me then," Salvatore smiled as she flushed and cleared her throat.
"Shall, should we get down to business?"
"I was hoping to have lunch before we began with our professional banter," He waved dismissively. "I would love to learn about you,"
"I..." Olivia trailed, watching Salvatore beckon a waiter over as he handed them two menus as they chose their order and gave it to the waiter.
As they waited, he flirted and complimented her as she flushed ever so often, other times looking at him skeptically and not understanding how to handle such a situation. Once their food arrived, they began to talk business, Salvatore dropping a hint every once in a while as she would glance up at him.
Once they had dealt with their purpose of the meeting, he had asked for the bill, paying the due amount with a card and generous tip despite her protests of his act.
"Please, I'd be honored to host such a lovely baroness to dinner," Salvatore had assured earnestly. "But given that – how do American's say it – you are out of my league, I'd feel much better about myself if I paid for the lunch, signora,"
His accent seemed to be working in his favor as she stopped protesting, his sweet talk finally having softened her.
"Mr. Alfonsi," Olivia began as he put his card back into his wallet.
"Please, call me Mattia,"
"Mattia," She corrected herself as she handed him a piece of paper. "I'm
staying in room 334 at the Marriot. I would like it if you could come and join me for drinks later this evening?"
Salvatore looked at her in mock surprise, taking the page held out to him as he put it in his blazers inside pocket.
"I'd be honored to join you for drinks, Ms. Leone,"
"Does 7 sound alright to you?"
"Sounds perfect," He gave her a charming smile and placed a kiss on the back of her hand in farewell before leaving her to sit alone, knowing she was watching from the window as he stood by the car and took out the folded note, looking down at her neat writing which gave him the hotel name and room number. Glancing up from the page, he saw his men sitting in the café opposite him as he settled behind the wheel, knowing that if his plan continued to work in his favor, he'd be back home before the sun rose.
Changing out of his navy blue suit, Salvatore opted to replace it with a black button-up and black dress pants, leaving the first two buttons upon and discarding the blazer onto his bed. Grabbing the bouquet from his table, he ran a hand through his hair and left the room, taking the elevator down before stopping at the floor beneath him. Walking across the hall, he stopped at door 334 and knocked.
Standing with his back to the door he ran a hand through his hair before the sound of the locks turning had him look over his shoulder before turning his body in the direction of the woman before him.
Olivia stood in a white romper with a plunging neckline showing off the top of her breast as she had her flowing behind her shoulder, exposing her skin.
"Hello," She smiled as he looked her up and down.
"Miss Leone," He greeted in response, holding the bouquet out for her as she gasped. "For you,"
"Please, call me Olivia," She grinned and took hold of the bouquet, gesturing him inside.
Gesturing to the sofa, he took a seat and watched her put the flowers onto the trolley and grabbed a scotch bottle with two glasses, making her way to him and sitting with their knees touching as she put the bottle onto the glass table.